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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29596350">the bet</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonwins/pseuds/moonwins'>moonwins</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NCT (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Awkward Park Jisung (NCT), Dancer Park Jisung (NCT), Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Lee Jeno &amp; Na Jaemin Are Best Friends, Lee Jeno is Whipped, Major Character Injury, Na Jaemin is a Good Friend, Na Jaemin-centric, Park Jisung &amp; Zhong Chen Le Are Best Friends, Park Jisung (NCT)-centric, Platonic Cuddling, Platonic Relationships, Protective Na Jaemin, Sad Na Jaemin, Sad Park Jisung (NCT), Soft Na Jaemin, jaesung, nct dream is a family, park jisung is na jaemin's baby, side nomin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 01:46:59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,024</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29596350</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonwins/pseuds/moonwins</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>jeno bets jaemin that he can't go a day without giving his attention to the dreamie maknae park jisung.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>123</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>the bet</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>i had a dream about this one night and decided to write it even though i don't know how to use this platform lol</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“come here, jisungie,” jaemin cooed at the dreamie maknae who was walking through the living room.</p><p>“ah, really,” jisung groaned, “what is it?”</p><p>“give your hyungs a cuddle,” he said, referring to himself and jeno sitting on the couch beside him.</p><p>“will you make me breakfast?” jisung asked, trying to get something out of this request.</p><p>“of course i will,” jaemin nodded. jisung finally sat down on the couch, sandwiched between jaemin and jeno.</p><p>jaemin immediately started to dote on jisung, pinching his cheeks and speaking in baby voice when asking jisung how well he slept the previous night. jeno could only stare in amusement as jisung had a displeasured expression upon his face. he hated being smothered like a baby.</p><p>“hyung,” jisung whined, trying to shove jaemin off of him.</p><p>“ok, ok,” jaemin stopped, “i’ll go make breakfast. you go shower,” jaemin got up and moved toward the kitchen, turning on the stove.</p><p>once jisung was in the bathroom, jeno spoke up: “you really can’t spend a minute without doting on him, can you?” jeno asked from the couch.</p><p>“what? yes i can,” jaemin replied. of course he loved to baby the dreamie maknae, but he had self-control.</p><p>“wanna bet?” jeno raised his eyebrows at jaemin who was turned away from the stove while waiting for it to heat.</p><p>“what do you mean?” jaemin asked.</p><p>jeno smirked, “i bet you can’t avoid jisung even for a single day.”</p><p>“of course i could,” jaemin crossed him arms.</p><p>“ok so starting after breakfast, you have to avoid jisung until tomorrow morning. that means no cheek grabbing, no kissing or hugging, and no talking,” jeno laid out the rules of the bet, “if you give in, you have to start biking with me again. if you win, i’ll stop pestering you about it.”</p><p>to be honest, jeno missed spending time with his best friend. part of him was a little jealous that so much of jaemin’s love was reserved for jisung. he wanted an excuse to spend more time with jaemin.</p><p>“you’re on, jeno-ah,” jaemin nodded and turned around to start preparing the food.</p><p>==</p><p>“thanks for breakfast, hyung,” jisung said as he got up from his place at the table.<br/>jaemin didn’t reply. he didn’t even look in jisung’s general direction.</p><p>“hyung?” jisung asked, waving a hand in front of his face. jeno, again, look amused at the scene before him.</p><p>jaemin still didn’t budge.</p><p>"go get dressed, jisung-ah," jeno spoke up.</p><p>jisung was confused, but he wasn’t going to dwell on it, “okay i’ll be in my room.”</p><p>jaemin wanted to remind jisung to take his medicine and do his physical therapy exercises, but he didn’t say anything. he hoped jisung would remember.</p><p>==</p><p>later that day, the dream boys had a schedule on a variety show. when they were being asked numerous questions, jaemin avoided eye contact and any mention of jisung. it was harder than he expected. usually in variety shows, jaemin loved to express to the hosts how much he adored their maknae, but this time he couldn’t.</p><p>during one segment of the show, the boys were asked to do a dance challenge in which they would have speed or slow dance to their various choreographies. jaemin automatically thought about jisung’s knee and hoped someone would bring it up.</p><p>chenle leaned over toward jisung, “are you okay to participate?” he whispered, which jaemin saw out of the corner of his eyes. thank god for chenle.</p><p>jaemin saw jisung nod and hoped that he had remembered to take his medicine and do his exercises that day.</p><p>during the dance challenge, the song skipped to boom and jisung's part at the beginning was coming up. the maknae hadn’t had any issues thus far, so jaemin thought they were in the clear.</p><p>however, right before jisung’s part, the song sped up, throwing jisung off-kilter and making him trip over himself. jaemin’s breath hitched when he heard a loud thud over the music, then the music stopped. all of the dreamies turned to jisung, who was laying on the floor, holding his knee.</p><p>jaemin’s eyes widened at the sight and he wanted very badly to rush over to jisung and comfort him. but he also wanted to prove to jeno that he had self-control when it came to jisung. he didn’t know why he wanted to prove it to jeno so much. he hadn’t let his mind wander there yet.</p><p>jaemin almost gave in but thankfully, jeno approached jisung and helped him up and onto a chair.</p><p>jaemin watched as jisung struggled to get up and once he was sat down, jaemin glanced at his face that was twisted in pain. jaemin quickly looked away. looking at jisung in pain made him weak.</p><p>“i think that’s all the dancing our maknae can do right now,” renjun spoke with a slight laugh, trying to lighten the mood.</p><p>jaemin sat quietly for the rest of the interview, looking down at his hands that were in his lap.</p><p>==</p><p>“are you okay?” jeno asked jaemin while they were on the ride home.</p><p>“i’m fine. why wouldn’t i be?” jaemin responded.</p><p>jeno gave him a look as if to say ‘you know why’, but jaemin nodded him off, “i’m really fine.”</p><p>jaemin wanted to glance back at jisung who was sitting with chenle behind them, but he didn’t.</p><p>jisung, on the other hand, was holding a pack of ice to his knee as he rested his head on chenle’s shoulder.</p><p>“i’m so stupid,” he told chenle.</p><p>“why?” chenle furrowed his brows.</p><p>“i forgot about my knee excercises,” he sighed, disappointed in himself, “usually jaemin hyung reminds me but today he didn’t.”</p><p>“that’s odd,” chenle furrowed his eyebrows, "but you should've still remembered."</p><p>“yeah,” jisung agreed. it was odd. perhaps the only reason jisung noticed that something was awry with jaemin is the lack of attention from him all day. he also noticed that he barely spoke during the show. that wasn’t like jaemin.</p><p>jisung decided he would ask him about it back at the dorm.</p><p>==</p><p>after an awkward dinner, jaemin went straight to his room, leaving the confused dreamies in the living room. it was chenle and jeno’s turn to clean up, so they went to the kitchen.</p><p>“what’s up with jaemin hyung?” chenle asked jeno who was doing the dishes.</p><p>jeno grinned, “oh, right. we placed a bet.”</p><p>“what kind of bet?” chenle replied.</p><p>“i bet jaemin that he could not going one day avoiding jisung.”</p><p>“oh. that explains a lot.”</p><p>==</p><p>once jisung had brushed his teeth and prepared for sleep, he walked down the corridor to jaemin’s room. he was going to find out what was wrong.</p><p>“hyung?” he knocked on the door before entering. jaemin was sitting up on his bed, watching something on his computer.</p><p>jaemin sighed when jisung entered but barely acknowledged his presence.</p><p>jisung sat on the edge of jaemin’s bed, “are you okay? you seem a little off.”</p><p>jaemin continued to watch his show, ignoring the younger.</p><p>“hello?” jisung was confused as to why jaemin was ignoring him, “did i do something?” jisung asked both literally and rhetorically.</p><p>jaemin sat still and didn’t dare to glance over at jisung.</p><p>“please look at me,” jisung said desperately and took a hold of jaemin’s arm, shaking it.</p><p>jaemin didn’t avert his gaze from the computer in front of him. inside, jaemin was in pain. he loved jisung a lot; actively avoiding him throughout the day made him feel miserable. jaemin was always a very affectionate person and never stopped expressing his love. it was something that came naturally for him.</p><p>jisung realized that he would have to resort to alternative methods of getting jaemin’s attention. jisung moved toward jaemin and cuddled close to him, putting his head in the crook of jaemin's neck.</p><p>although he was very tempted to accept jisung’s cuddle, jaemin didn’t budge like jisung thought he would.</p><p>jisung glanced up at the older’s blank expression. he frowned and wrapped his arms and leg around jaemin’s frame.</p><p>“hyung,” jisung spoke in a pitiful voice, hoping it would get jaemin’s attention, “my knee hurts.”</p><p>jaemin closed his eyes, sighing, then glanced down at jisung. jeno never said he couldn’t look at the maknae. jaemin’s eyes softened when he saw how willingly vulnerable jisung was acting. he was never voluntarily like this.</p><p>“are you mad at me?” jisung asked jaemin, “i’m sorry that i take you for granted.” jisung didn’t want to admit it, but he relied on jaemin babying him. he relied on jaemin making him meals. he relied on jaemin washing his clothes. he relied on jaemin checking up on him throughout the day. jaemin filled a parental void in jisung’s heart. he genuinely loved jaemin, even if he didn’t express it often.</p><p>jaemin couldn’t take it anymore. his heart was aching. he wrapped his arm around jisung and ran his hand through jisung’s hair, “shhh,” jaemin shushed the younger as he pulled jisung in closer. he finally got rid of the computer, shoving it to the other side of the bed so he could use his other arm to wrap around jisung.</p><p>jisung looked confused at jaemin’s change in actions, but he didn’t protest. truth be told, he hated when jaemin babied him in front of the other members. but since it was the two of them, jisung didn’t mind it. he liked the comfort.</p><p>“why didn’t you talk to me today?” jisung asked, pouting.</p><p>“it’s a secret,” jaemin whispered. if jeno walked in, he would lose the bet, but he didn’t care. right now jisung needed him.</p><p>“my knee was doing so well,” jisung sighed.</p><p>“i know, baby,” jaemin shook jisung a little, “hey, did you remember to take your medicine and do your exercises?” he asked the younger.</p><p>“i… forgot,” jisung replied with a guilty expression, “i’m sorry, hyung.”</p><p>“ah this kid… making me worry about him,” jaemin made a ‘tsk’ sound.</p><p>“you worry about me?” jisung asked for assurance. after that day’s events, he didn’t know what to think. he was afraid that jaemin might stop caring about him. that was a thought he didn’t want to keep around.</p><p>jaemin smiled, “of course. we all do. we love you very much,” he told the younger, making him curl up to jaemin even more. jaemin couldn’t help but think how young jisung looked in that moment.</p><p>“do <em>you</em>, hyung?” jisung whispered.</p><p>”don’t i always tell you that?” jaemin laughed.</p><p>”well yeah but...” jisung trailed off, hoping jaemin would definitively declare how he felt.</p><p>for a moment, there was a pause. suddenly, jaemin found himself getting a little nervous. usually jisung never begged for his affection like this. </p><p>“i love you, jisungie. i promise,” jaemin finally declared in a warm tone that was reserved for jisung only as he caressed the younger’s hair. </p><p>jisung grinned, satisfied, then closed his eyes.</p><p>eventually, jaemin heard jisung’s labored breathing stop and could immediately tell that he had fallen asleep.</p><p>jaemin cooed at him, “aigoo my baby. so cute.” jaemin hoped jisung knew that he’d always be there for him, even if he was mad.</p><p>==</p><p>the next morning, jaemin woke up to jisung sprawled across his bed, his head still laying on jaemin’s shoulder.</p><p>“jisung-ah,” jaemin shook him, “wake up before jeno comes in here.”</p><p>“huh?” jisung replied groggily, still asleep.</p><p>“he’s going-” jaemin began when jeno barged into his room.</p><p>“i knew it!” jeno pointed at the pair on the bed, “now you have to come biking with me!”</p><p>jisung sat up, still confused, “what’s going on?” he looked between jaemin and jeno.</p><p>jeno approached the bed, ruffling jisung’s hair, “don’t worry about it, kid” he spoke then winked at jaemin who sent back a smirk.</p><p>“you two are weird,” jisung scoffed, rolling his eyes and started to get up out of the bed.</p><p>jaemin protested, pulling jisung back toward him, “ah no you don’t,” he giggled then started to plant kisses all over jisung’s face.</p><p>the older boys teased jisung for the rest of the morning, and even though jisung hated being the maknae most of the time, he wouldn’t have it any other way.</p>
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